Bibi tells EU envoys he backs Lieberman

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of European Union ambassadors that he has "complete confidence" in his foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman.

Israel’s prime minister met Tuesday in Jerusalem with more than 20 ambassadors from EU member states. Netanyahu added that he knows Lieberman "is fully committed to peace and security, and that he is an important member of the elected government of the democratic State of Israel."

Netanyahu made the comments the day after an Israeli television station reported that during a meeting last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told him to "get rid" of Lieberman and reinstate opposition leader Tzipi Livni as foreign minister.

Netanyahu said that Lieberman "will play an important role in implementing the policy" presented in his diplomatic policy speech last month at Bar-Ilan University.